Flashlight formed of two molded parts



Oct. 3, 1967 szE-YUEN CHUNG 3,345,508

FLASHLIGHT FORMED OF TWO MOLDED PARTS Filed Aug. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 V N /N ENTOQ OCL 3, 1967 52E-MEN QHUNG l l3,3455108 FLSHLIGHT FORMED OF TWO MOLDED PARTS Filed Aug. 19, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /N VEN TOR United States Patent Oiilice 3,345,508 Patented Oct. 3, 1967 3,345,508 FLASHLIGHT FORMED OF TWO MOLDED PARTS `SzeYuen Chung, San Po Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong,

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to battery operated hand flashlights wherein the body is formed from two moulded parts connected together by a snap t. The flashlight has a moulded reflector which is integral with a socket receiving the flashlight bulb.

This invention relates to lamps and especially to hand lamps of the kind operated by dry cell batteries as known as flashlights.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a lamp comprising a bulb receiving socket and integrally therewith a reflector for a bulb when received in the socket. The socket and the reflector are made of a preferably moulded plastics material which is preferably polystyrene.

The bulb receiving socket preferably receives a terminal for the bulb, which terminal extends through the socket to the exterior thereof. The terminal preferably extends through a slot extending longitudinally from the free end of the socket.

Preferably there is further provided means for retaining the bulb in the bulb receiving socket. Such retaining means may carry a contact spring for engaging the end pole of bulb to retain the latter in the socket and to supply current to the said end pole. The retaining means is preferably a snap lit on the socket and preferably the retaining means has a tongue part which engages in the longitudinally extending slot to prevent relative rotation between the retaining means and the socket. The retaining means may preferably carry a second terminal which is connected to the extension of the first terminal through a make and break switch.

Preferably the lamp further comprises a dry cell container having an open end closed by the bulb retaining means and preferably the terminals carried by the retaining means are located to engage the terminals of batteries received within the container. Preferably the battery engaging portions of the terminals on the retaining means are identical.

The lamp preferably further comprises a lens for the bulb and means for holding the lens in position, which latter preferably forms with the battery receiving container an outer cover for the lamp.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described, by Way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is an end view of a flashlight of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a section on line 2-2 of FIGURE l,

FIGURE 3 is a section on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 4 is a section on line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings a lamp of the invention is in the form of a shaped iiat hand torch of generally rectangular section. The flashlight 10 has a casing having a casing body 11 which also forms a dry cell container and a casing cover 12, both the casing body 11 and casing cover 12 being moulded from high 4the other end of the slot density polyethylene or polypropylene. The casing cover 12 has a portion 14 fitting into the body 11 and this portion 14 has a raised bead 15 that is received in a recess 15 in the casing body 11. At its other end, the casing cover 12 has an inwardly directed bead 16 and slightly inwardly spaced therefrom a second bead 17 running along the shorter of the inner surfaces of the cover 12. A lens 18 is received between the two beads 16 and 17 as is a flange 19 on each of the two ends of a reflector member 21.

The reflector member 21, which is a polystyrene mould ing, comprises a pair of arcuate reflecting surfaces 22 which are joined by flat Side pieces 23 on which are formed a semi-circular series of stirations 24 arranged parallel to the axis of the curved reflecting portions 22. At its inner end the member 21 is provided integrally with a cylindrical socket part 20 which increases in diameter and is then provided with an extending skirt member 25. Within the increased diameter portion, the socket part 20 receives a cylindrical contact terminal member 26 having an inwardly directed iiange 27 that forms a contact plate for the contact ange 28 of a light bulb 29 which is contained within the bulb receiving socket 20 formed by the cylindrical extension of the member 21. The skirt 25 has a longitudinal slot 31 extending from one end and a contact strip 32 integral with the contact cylinder 26 is bent radially of the cylinder 26 to pass through the slot ,31 and again backwardly tn form a contact tag as will be hereinafter described.

A hollow boss member 33 receives the skirt and is provided with a recess 34 to receive a peripheral bead on the exterior of the skirt 25 so that the member 33 may be a snap tit on the skirt 25. This member 33 also has an inwardly directed tongue 35 (see in particular FIGURE 4) which is received within the slot 31 so as to prevent relative rotation between the member 33 and the skirt 25. The member 33 has fianges 37 and longitudinally depending members 38 which have feet 39 that engage against the underside of the portion 14 of the cover 12 to hold the member 33 in position. A small projection 41 is provided on each part 38 to engage in recesses in the portion 14 of cover 12 so as accurately to guide the part 38 in them.

The anges 37 carry two tags or strips 42 and 43 respectively by means of a rivet 44. rThe tag 42 which forms a -connector strip has a downwardly bent portion 45 and is then bent upwardly to provide a portion 46 which resiliently acts against the end pole 47 of the bulb 29. The tag 43 which forms a terminal strip has, on one side of the rivet 44, a portion 48 which is almost exactly the same configuration as the portion 45 of tag 42. On the other side of the rivet 44, the tag 43 has an upwardly extending portion having a contact edge 49 for engaging the part 32 of the extension of member 25 to form therewith a make and break switch.

The forwardly extending portion of tag 43 has a V- shaped portion 51 bent into it. This V-shaped portion 51 is engaged by a pin member 53 carried by a slider 54 that is recessed to receive an operators thumb. The cover 12 has a short slot 55 in which the pin member 53 is slidable from the position shown in full lines, in which the end of the pin 53 engages at the bottom of the V-shaped portion 51 of tag 43, to the position at 55, which position is indicated in broken lines and in which the end of the pin 53 abuts against the terminal so as to force the portions 49, 32 into engagement to -close the switch. A metal plate 50 is connected to the pin member 53 inside the cover 12 to hold the slider 54 in position.

The battery container 11 has a number of internal longitudinally extending projections 56 which serve to locate the batteries 57. At its closed end the container 11 has a battery spring 58 which can engage against either terminal of the batteries 57. Similarly the portions 45 and 48 of the tags 42 and 43 respectively can engage against either terminal of the batteries 57 to make contact therewith.

The flashlight which is a convenient size to hold is switched on and off by the slider 54 in a manner which is apparent. All the parts are connected together by snap connections due to the resilience of the various parts. It will also be seen that there is easy access for the bulb by virtue of the snap-on feature of the retaining member 33 so as to facilitate the replacement of the bulb during usage. It will also be seen that as the contact strips have identical battery terminal engaging portions, it will allow for reversibility of the batteries so as to Simplify loading of the ashlight.

The invention is not limited to the precise constructional details hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Thus, for example, the parts may be made from different materials, thus the casing may be made from any suitable plastics material.

What we claim is:

A lamp comprising:

(a) a dry cell container having an open end;

(b) a pair of batteries within the said container, each battery having a pair of terminals;

(c) a cover carried by the container at its open end;

(d) an integral reector and socket member carried by the cover;

(e) a bulb received in the socket, which bulb has two poles;

(f) first terminal means carried by the said socket and engaging one of the bulb poles;

(g) bulb retaining means closing off the open end of the said container;

(h) a contact strip carried by the bulb retaining means engaging the other of the bulb poles to retain the latter in the socket, the said contact strip having a portion engaging one terminal of one of the said batteries;

(i) a second terminal strip having a portion which is substantially identical to the terminal engaging portion of the contact strip, engaging a terminal of the other of the said batteries, the said second terminal strip also having a part in the proximity of but resiliently spaced from a part of the said first terminal means; and

(j) manually operable switch means movable to engage one of the two terminal strips to bias the two said parts into electrical contact.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,579,762 12/1951 Schofield 24U-10.65 2,817,754 12/1957 Moore 240-1066 3,076,891 2/1963 Moore 24U- 10.66 3,128,050 4/1964 Parker 24U-10.66 3,175,080 3/1965 Moore 240--l0.65 3,226,502 12/1965 Schotz 24U-10.65

NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

D. JACOBSON, Assistant Examiner. 

